Electronic Physics Structure of Materials

Chapter 1

(1-10) Current flow in impurity semiconductor materials:

There are two types of current flows in impurity of semiconductor materials:

(1-10-1) Drift Current: It is a current produced due to an electric field effect on a semiconductor. The current
velocity is following the average velocity of charge carriers and is defined by drift velocity (vd).

(1-10-2) Diffusion current: This current is produced with absence of electric field with a random distribution
of charge bodies in a material. This current flows from highly charge concentrated to low charge concentrated
one as shown in figure (1-16).

Density

A
-
-- - The flow of electron
- - - - B
- -- ---- X DISTANCE

Figure (1-16): Change of electron density with distance.

So, the current density which is produced by electron diffusion (JDn) in (N) type semiconductor is
proportional to the degradation of this electron concentration.
J = 𝑞𝐷 − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 42)
Where
KT
Dn = μe − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 43)
q
Also current density is produced by hole diffusion (JDp) in a (p) type semiconductor which is proportional to
the degradation hole concentration.
J = −qD − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 44)
Where
D = μ − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 45)
The negative singe in equation (1-44) denotes that the hole current flows in the reverse direction of electron
current flow.
The resultant current in a semiconductor under electric field effect contains the tow types of currents:
(In electron):
J = J + J = qnμ ε + 𝑞𝐷 − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 46)
(In hole):
J =J +J = qnμ ε + 𝑞𝐷 − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 47).
The total current density in an intrinsic semiconductor is shown as follows:
J = J +J − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 48)

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Electronic Physics Structure of Materials

And J = σε − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 49)

Where:
: Is the conductivity of semiconductor.

And :is the applied electric field.
We know that for intrinsic semiconductor, the number of holes is equal to the number of electrons:
n = p = ni − − − − − − − − − − − − (1-50)
Where ni is called intrinsic carrier concentration.
Then the total current density equation will be as:
J = qn (μ + μ )ε − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 51)
And the conductivity of an intrinsic semiconductor is:
σ = qn μ + μ − − − − − − − − − − − −(1 − 52)

2
Example (1-2): The mobility's of free electrons and holes in pure Germanium are 0.38 and 0.18 m v.s
respectively. The corresponding values for pure silicon are 0.13 and 0.05 m 2 v.s respectively. Find the value
of intrinsic conductivity for both materials. Assume ni = 2.5 1019 / m3 for Germanium and ni =
1.5 1016 / m3 silicon at room temperature.
Solution:
1-Intrinsic conductivity for Germanium:
σ = qn μ + μ
= (1.6 × 10 )(2.5 × 10 )(0.38 + 0.18) = 2.24 (Ω. 𝑚)
2-Intrinsic conductivity for silicon:
σ = qn μ + μ
= (1.6 × 10 )(1.5 × 10 )(0.13 + 0.05) = 4.32 × 10 (Ω. 𝑚)

(1-11) Majority and Minority Carriers:

When N and P type semiconductor materials are made, the doping levels can be as small as 1 part per
million or 1 part per billion.
As a result a few of impurity materials will be having five or three valance electrons in crystals.
In a p type semiconductor, the carrier current almost contains large number of holes so they are the majority
carriers. A few electrons might also be present they will be minority carriers in this case.
The majority carriers will be electrons for N-type material and the minority carriers are holes.
The minority carriers are affected by temperature as additional heat energy enters the crystal, more and more
electrons will gain enough energy to break their bands. Each broken bond produces a free electron and hole
pairs are generated.
Therefore in N – type material every thermal hole becomes a minority carrier and thermal electrons join to the
other majority carriers.
Similarly if the crystal was made as P-type material then the thermal hole joins the majority carriers and the
thermal electrons become minority carriers.

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Electronic Physics Structure of Materials

Example (1-3):
A specimen of silicon is 0.2 mm long and has a cross sectional area of 0.2x0.2 mm. One volt impressed
across the bar results in a current of 8 mA. Assuming that the current is due to electrons. Calculate:
a)Concentration of free electrons.
b)The drift velocity.
Given at 300 k, n = 1300 cm2/ v.s , and q = 1.6 1019 C.

Solution:
a)Concentration of free electrons:
Let n = concentration of free electrons.
And  = resistively of the specimen.
According to Ohm's law, the resistance of a specimen,
V 1
R   125
I 8  103
and , resistance of specimen (R) ,
3
125 =  L   0.2 10 
A 0.04 106
Then  = 125 / 5000 = 0.025  m
And conductivity:   L  1
 40 (Ω.m)
-1

 0.025
we know the conductivity of silicon () is :
 
40  q.n. n  1.6  1019  n   0.13
21 3
Then n  1.92 10 / m
b)Drift velocity (d ):
Let v = Drift velocity of free electrons in silicon we know the current density.
I 8 103
J  6
 2 105 A / m2
A 0.04 10
And drift velocity:
J 2  105
   651 m / sec
n.q 1.92  1021  1.6  1019

lecturer (Dina H. Shaker) University of technology-Electromechanical department

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Electronic Physics Structure of Materials

Review Examples:-

Example 1) (a) Compute the conductivity of Copper for each µ=34.8 cm2/V-S and d=8.9 g/ cm2.
(b) If an electric field is applied such Copper bar with an intensity of 10V/cm, find the
average velocity of the free electrons. Assuming n=8.41 e/m2.
Solution:-
(a) σ=nµq
σ=(8.41 e/m2)( 34.8 cm2/V-S)(1.6×10-19c)=4.7×107 (Ωm)-1
(b) The velocity v is:
V=µξ= (34.8 cm2/V-S)(10 v)=348cm/sec.

Example 2) (a) Find the resistivity of intrinsic Silicon at 300ºk,.

(b) If a donor –type impurity is added to the extent of 1 atom per 108 Silicon atoms, find the
resistivity. Assumes ni=1.5×1010/cm3,q=1.6×10-19c, µn =1300 and µp =500.
Solution:-

(a) σ= niq(µn+ µp)= (1.5×1010)( 1.6×10-19c)(1300+500)=4.32×10-6(Ωcm)-1

Then ρ=1/σ =231 Ωcm.
(a) nsi=5×1022atom/cm3.
If there is 1 atom per 108 Si atom, then:
ND=5×1022/108 = 5×1014atom/cm3.
And n ≈ ND.
P= ni2/ ND=(1.5×1010)/( 5×1014)=4.5×105/cm3.
Since p<<n ,then:
σ=n q µn=5×1014 × 1.6 ×10-19×1300=1.04×10-1(Ωcm)-1
then ρ=1/σ =9.6 Ωcm.

Example 3) Given a 20Ω-cm n-type Ge bar with material life time of 100µs, A=1mm2 and L=1 cm. One
15
side of the bar is illuminated with 10 photos/s. Assume that each incident photon generates one electron-
hole pair and that these are distributed uniformly through the bar. Find the bar resistance under continuous
high excitation at room temperature. Assume ni2=6.25×1026/cm6,µn=3.8×103cm2/v-s, µp=1.8×103cm2/v-s.

Solution:-
In the absence of radiation we obtain:-
σ =1/ ρ =0.05 Ωcm.
and
σ=q(n µn+p µp)= q(n µn+ ni2/n µp)
by solving this equation for n we find:
n=7.85×1013 /cm3 and p=0.8 ×1013 /cm3
Then σ=58.9×10-3 Ωcm.
And ρ=1/σ =17 Ωcm
Finally
R= ρL/A=17×1 cm/10-2cm2=1700 Ω .

lecturer (Dina H. Shaker) University of technology-Electromechanical department

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Electronic Physics Structure of Materials

Problems:-

(1-1)The length of Copper wire is 10m and its cross-sectional area is 0.5mm² has a resistance 0.34Ω.
Calculate:
a) The conductivity of Copper wire.
b) the mobility of electrons in the copper wire.
(1-2) a) Using Avogadro’s verify the numerical value given in below concentration of atoms
in Germanium.
b) Find the resistivity of intrinsic Germanium at 300°k.
c) If the donor –type impurity is added to the extent of 1 part in 108 Germanium atoms, find
the resistivity.
d) If Germanium were a monovalent metal, find the ratio of its conductivity to that of the n-type
semiconductor in part ( c) .
(1-3) Find the temperature at which an electron a above Fermi – Dirac by (0.3 ev) is 15%
(1-4) A Copper wire of 2mm diameter with conductivity of 5.8×107 s/m and electron mobility
of 0.032m²/v-s is subjected to an electric field of 20mv/m. find:
a) The charge density of free electrons.
b) The current density.
C) The current flowing in the wire.
d) The electron drift velocity.
(1-5) The mobilites of free electrons and holes in pure Germanium are 0.33 and 0.18m²/v-s the
corresponding values for pure silicon are 0.13 and 0.05 m²/v-s respectively. Find the values of
intrinsic conductivity for both the materials .Assume ni=2.5× 1019/m³ for Germanium and ni=1.5×
1016/m³ for Silicon at room temperature .
(1-6) Calculate the donor corcentertion in N-type Germanium having resistivity of 100 Ωm take
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q=1.6× 10 c and µn =0.36m²/v-s.
(1-7) Find the concentration of holes and electrons in a p-type Germanium at 300º k, if the conductivity is
100 per ohm per cm. Also find these values of N- type Silicon, if the conductivity of 0.1 per ohm per
cm .given for Germanium ni=2.5×1013 /cm3 µn=3800 cm2/v-s, µp=1800 cm2/v-s, and for Silicon
ni=1.5×1010/cm3, µn=1300 cm2/v-s, µp=500 cm2/v-s
(1-8) Find the diffusion coefficient of holes and electrons for Germanium at 300 ºk. The carrier
º
mobilities in cm²/v-s at 300 k for electrons and holes are respectively 3600 and 1700. Density of carriers is
2.5× 1023/m³ .Boltzmann constant K=1.38 × 1023.

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